5. Optimized Graphics
Pipeline Usage

For years traditional window
servers have been based on pixel buffers
to manage content for display on behalf of the system. While it
was the correct choice for the beginning of the graphical era, it now
results in
very clogged graphical pipelines as window servers move towards
compositing and graphical effects run on the GPU (graphics processing
unit) and display resolutions increase. Every time a pixel buffer
is changed the changed portion needs be transfered through the graphics
pipeline up to
the graphics card. This means that if very large portions of a
pixel buffer are being changed every frame that there will be a large
upload which will take up precious bandwidth every frame.

Vision
is based on
OpenGL graphics primitives, so instead of pixel buffer uploads,
Vision sends small OpenGL commands through the pipeline which take up
much less space and
leverage the strong graphics capabilities of the GPU. This way of
doing things is not only more efficient, but faster as well.
Perhaps most importantly is also the fact that it will scale very well
as display resolutions become higher and graphics cards become more
powerful.